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US officials have released video that shows a Russian Su-27 fighter jet colliding with the aft-mounted pusher-propeller of a US MQ-9 Reaper UAV. The newly declassified video, which U.S. European Command released early Thursday, 16 March 2023, depicts—albeit less than transparently—the critical moments leading up to and immediately following the 14 March midair collision that allegedly resulted in the downing of the $20-million USAF drone. Aero-News Network is saddened to report that Sergeant First-Class Michael “Ty” Kettenhofen lost his life in a 13 March 2023 training mishap at Florida’s Homestead Air Reserve Base. Kettenhofen had served with the Army’s elite Golden Knights parachute demonstration team since 2020. Sikorsky is building a fully autonomous hybrid-eVTOL which will serve as a flying testbed by dint of whi

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Lovers of Low and Slow were captivated by the EAA’s Virtual Ultralight Days, which returned in 2023 with 15 webinars over three-days in late February. The presentations highlighted the joys of ultralight flight to the more than five-thousand enthusiasts who availed themselves of live webinars featuring a variety of ultralight topics, including how to get started in the endeavor of ultralight flying, maintenance tips, and airport operations. Aeromarine LSA has an update on the Merlin Lite. Earlier this year the company claimed handy performance of the Merlin as equipped with the Vtwin-power  engine, reporting that the ultralight-configured Merlin flew well during a trip to the Czech Republic. The high-wing, tricycle geared Merlin LIte provides the soul of an old Cessna 152, updated and lightened for the modern era. Australian developer Kite Magnetics announ

Also: Airborne-Special Editions Reports On EVEN MORE Cool Things Coming To SnF23!

Welcome to this special edition of Airborne. As we continue to prepare for the 49th rendition of the Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo, now some ten days or so away, SnF BOss, Gene Conrad has kept the Lakeland staff busy with all manner of new updates and improvements. In this chat, we start with the good stuff! It's airshow time and there are few better reason o go to Sun 'n Fun than to watch the airshows that they present in many forms. The daytime shows, with the US Navy Blue Angels heading up the roster is a big draw,,, but so are many other performers that fly both NIGHT and DAY. The two night airshows have become huge favorites. Even better, the LightPlane area, alias Paradise City has it's own gig going in the evenings with the Sunset Aerial Circus which promises to liven up the sport aviation arena quite a bit. And then, there's the elephant in the room... PARKING! G

The Perils of Escalation

Polish president Andrzej Duda announced his country will provision Ukraine with approximately one-dozen Russian-made MiG-29 fighter jets—thereby securing Poland the dubious distinctions of being the first NATO member to acknowledge the Ukrainian government's requests for warplanes.

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Archer is heralding the final assembly of the first production Midnight eVTOL. The company reports all major aerostructures, to include the machine’s fuselage, wing, and empennage, have been built and mated into a cohesive aircraft. What’s more, a significant portion of the inaugural Midnight’s wiring, electronics, flight-control-system-actuators, and additional systems have been successfully installed. We must never forget who and what got us here... and our responsibility to treasure it. A World War II vet got to go for a nostalgic ride aboard one of the Commemorative Air Force’s Stinson AT-19s, complete with a birthday celebration for his 100th. The ceremony included an Honor Guard flag ceremony and special guest speakers, with remarks by Nelms as he reminisced about his time with the 447th Bomb Group in Rattlesden, England. This is what a comeback looks

From 2013 (YouTube Version): It's Not Enough To Simply Get More Power... You Have To Do It Right

ANN CEO and Editor-In-Chief Jim Campbell met with Jim Shafer of Power Flow Exhaust Systems at EAA AirVenture 2013. Power Flow Systems specializes in producing tuned exhaust system for a variety of engine and airplane installation combinations. Shafer points out that most exhaust systems are designed to get rid of the exhaust gas, and that’s about all they do. Power Flow changes that by tuning the exhaust system which increases efficiency and horsepower.

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CubCrafters has achieved an unprecedented and, frankly, remarkable feat of aeronautical engineering and airmanship by landing one of its fixed-wing Carbon Cub aircraft on the heliport of the United Arab Emirates’ world-famous Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai. The Bull’s Eye landing event was performed with with a specially-modified version of the bestselling CubCrafters’ aircraft on the 78-foot-diameter helipad—which is itself suspended 696-feet above sea-level atop the iconic 56-story hotel. The Association of Professional Warbird Operators (APWO) is a cooperative established to facilitate the development and sharing of best practices in Warbird operations—to include pilot and maintenance training, standardization, and safety protocols. Boeing and Jeddah-based Saudia announced on 14 March 2023 that the Saudi national fl

A-10s, F-22s on the Outs with Orders for F-35s, KC-36s, and F-15EXs

The Air Force's FY2024 budget of 215 billion appears to have made some harsh selections in fleet sizing, with plans to eliminate 32 Block 20 F22A Raptors, 57 F-15C and D model Eagles, and 42 A-10 Warthogs. The budget also looks to buy 14 KC-46A Pegasus tankers, 7 MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters, 24 F-15EX Eagle IIs, 48 F-35A Joint Strike Fighters, and a single E-11A BACN. The choice to slash the fleets of two enthusiast favorites, the A-10 and F-22, will likely be a hard pill to swallow for some.

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A UK-based medevac company has announced a partnership with PAL-V for the use of their Liberty flying car. The Liberty combines aspects of an aircraft with the terrestrial mobility of a traditional automobile, providing the best of both capabilities with access to speedy, ubiquitous road infrastructure. The PAL-V will see use as a fast response vehicle, with paramedics and doctors able to arrive on scene faster and more efficiently to begin treatment sooner than any other method. General Atomics snagged a new contract with the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) for 3 of their MQ-9B SkyGuardians. AFSOC now becomes the first US customer for the -9B model. Archer is heralding the final assembly of the first production Midnight eVTOL. The company reports all major aerostructures, to include the machine’s fuselage, wing, and empennage, h

With 2 Deliveries and 1 Sale, the 429 Inches its Way to (Eventual?) Market Dominance

Bell's PR department was quick to crow about their increasing level of interest in the Bell 429 in africa, thanks to the recent sale of one, and delivery of 2 aircraft to the region. While the sales are nice, a single new sale may not be quite the measure of success to claim the continent just yet - but the Bell 429 is a fine aircraft either way.